[-4-] This rival, then, he had removed from the scene immediately, but there remained Germanicus, whom he feared mightily.  The soldiers in Pannonia had risen as soon as they learned of the demise of Augustus.  They gathered in one fort and having strengthened it they took many steps toward rebellion.  Among other things they attempted to kill their leader, Junius Blaesus, and arrested and tortured his slaves.  In general, what they wanted was to have the period of service extend over not more than sixteen years, and they demanded that they should receive a denarius per day and be given at once his prizes that were in the camp.  In case they did not obtain their demands they threatened to make the province revolt and to march upon Rome.  Indeed, they were at this time with difficulty won over by the persuasions of Blaesus to send envoys to Tiberius at Rome in regard to these matters.  For they hoped during this change in the government to accomplish the utmost of their desires either by frightening the emperor into it or by giving the power to some one else.  Subsequently, when Drusus came upon them with the Pretorians, they were thrown into tumult once more because no definite answer was returned them.  Some of his followers they wounded and they put a guard around him in the night to prevent his escape.  Noticing, however, an eclipse of the moon occurring they felt their boldness begin to waver so that they did no further harm to this detachment and despatched envoys again to Tiberius.  Meantime a great storm came up, and when on this account every one had retired to his own quarters, the most audacious soldiers were destroyed, some in one manner, some in another, by Drusus and his associates in his own tent, whither he had summoned them on some unsignifying pretext.  The rest were restored to good standing on condition of surrendering for punishment those responsible for the uprising.  In this way this division became quiet.

[-5-] The warriors in Germany, however, where many had been assembled on account of the war, would not hear of moderation, since they saw that Germanicus was both a Caesar and far superior to Tiberius, but proclaiming publicly the above facts they heaped abuse upon Tiberius and saluted Germanicus as emperor.  When after much pleading he found himself unable to reduce them to order, finally he drew his sword as if to despatch himself.  They cried out upon him in horror, and one of them proffering his own sword said:  “Take this; this is sharper.”  Germanicus, seeing to what lengths the matter had gone, did not venture to kill himself, particularly as he had reason to believe that they would persist in their uprising none the less.  Therefore he composed a letter purporting to have been sent from Tiberius, gave them twice the gift bequeathed them by Augustus,—­pretending it was the emperor who did this,—­and released those who were beyond the age of service.  Most of them belonged to the city troops which Augustus had gathered as